Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder - however, it has the potential to be very serious, and even deadly. Sleep apnea causes your breathing to stop or become very shallow during sleep. Each pause in the breathing can last 10 to 20 seconds or more, and these pauses in breathing can occur 20 to 30 times an hour. During occurrences of apnea, a sleeper will wakes up in order to start breathing which disrupts sleep, and also causes a brief lack of oxygen.
Typical symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Frequent pauses in breathing while sleeping (apnea)
- Gasping or choking for breath in order to restart breathing, which often causes the sleeper and/or their partner to wake
- Loud snoring
- Not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep and daytime tiredness
The most commonly occurring form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. The causes of sleep apnea are primarily physical in nature, including such things as excessive weight or tissue (often from being overweight or obese), overly large tonsils or adenoids, or nasal congestion or blockage.
CPAP, is a type of mechanical device which is worn during sleep. It supplies continuous air pressure in order to keep the airway open, and is the most prescribed treatment for moderate or severe sleep apnea. However, CPAP can take awhile to get used to, but does provide effective relief from apnea when used correctly.
Self-help treatments, such as losing weight/fat, elevating one's head, or sleeping on one's side, have also been shown to be effective remedies for mild to moderate sleep apnea. Sometimes, dental appliances and surgery are also given as treatment options.
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